Film-Based Music Therapy With AI-Generated Verbal Guidance for Anxiety in Young Adults

Effects of Film-Based Music Therapy With LLM-Generated Culturally Adapted Verbal Suggestions on Anxiety, Affect, and Heart Rate Among Chinese Young Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial

This study aims to examine whether music-based relaxation combined with different types of verbal guidance can help reduce anxiety and improve emotional well-being in young adults.

University students often experience high levels of stress related to academic demands and daily life. Music listening is commonly used as a simple and safe method to promote relaxation. In addition to music itself, verbal guidance during music listening may influence how individuals imagine, interpret, and emotionally respond to the music experience.

In this study, participants are randomly assigned to one of three groups. One group listens to music accompanied by verbal guidance generated by a large language model and designed to reflect Eastern aesthetic imagery. A second group listens to music with standard relaxation guidance commonly used in music therapy. A third group listens to relaxing music without any verbal guidance. Each participant takes part in a single music listening session lasting approximately 25-30 minutes.

Levels of anxiety, positive and negative emotions, and heart rate are measured before and after the music session. By comparing the results across the three groups, this study seeks to better understand whether culturally adapted verbal guidance can enhance the effects of music-based relaxation for young adults.

This study is a single-center, randomized controlled trial designed to investigate the effects of music-based interventions with different types of verbal guidance on anxiety and emotional regulation in young adults.

Eligible university students are recruited and randomly assigned in equal numbers to one of three parallel groups: (1) a music intervention with verbal guidance generated by a large language model and designed to evoke Eastern aesthetic imagery; (2) a standard music therapy condition that includes conventional relaxation-oriented verbal suggestions; and (3) a music-only relaxation condition without verbal guidance. Randomization is conducted using a simple random allocation procedure.

All participants complete baseline assessments prior to the intervention. Each participant then takes part in a single music listening session lasting approximately 25-30 minutes in a quiet classroom setting. During the session, participants are seated comfortably with eyes closed and instructed to listen attentively to the music. Verbal guidance, when present, is delivered by a researcher during the music session.

Primary and secondary outcomes are assessed immediately before and after the intervention. Anxiety is measured using a standardized self-report anxiety scale. Emotional states are assessed using validated measures of positive and negative affect. Heart rate is recorded as an objective physiological indicator of autonomic arousal using a smartphone-based photoplethysmography method.

This study aims to provide empirical evidence on whether culturally adapted verbal guidance, generated by artificial intelligence, can enhance the psychological and physiological effects of music-based relaxation in young adults.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age between 18 and 25 years at the time of enrollment.
• Currently enrolled as a university student.
• Able to understand the study procedures and provide written informed consent.
• Willing to participate in a single music listening session lasting approximately 25-30 minutes.
• Able to complete self-report questionnaires before and after the intervention.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Self-reported history of diagnosed psychiatric disorders (e.g., major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, psychotic disorders).
• Current use of psychotropic medications that may significantly affect mood or anxiety.
• Self-reported hearing impairment that could interfere with music listening.
• Self-reported cardiovascular conditions or other medical conditions that could affect heart rate measurements.
• Participation in other psychological or behavioral intervention studies within the past 30 days.